People in St Paul's are being given the chance today to have their say about a proposed new primary school.

The city council is keen to go ahead with the £10.5 million school to meet rising demand for primary places in the inner city.

It wants to open the school, which would offer twice as many places as the current Cabot Primary, by 2012.

The project was given the go-ahead in principle in January last year but has been dogged by setbacks.

The council was hoping the scheme would fit in with the £300m onedovelane regeneration programme for St Paul's, but this work has been delayed.

Officers suggested a high-rise, four-storey building with a playground on the roof, so it did not take up too much development land.

But this idea was unpopular with families in the area, who were worried about pollution and traffic risks. A visit to a similar school in London did little to allay their concerns.

The council also favours "co-locating" the school with other services, including a children's centre, GP surgery and children's social services.

But Sauda Kylambuka, of St Paul's Unlimited, said people in the area were suspicious of this proposal.

"The community are very sceptical about co-location. People are concerned they are going to be spied upon," she said.

The city council's bid to the Government's Co-Location Fund for money for the Cabot scheme was turned down last week.

But Clare Campion-Smith, cabinet councillor for children, stressed that the authority had enough money put aside in its budget for the project.

"We have got a problem about school places," she said. "We have got to press on with this while trying to keep as many options open as possible for the developers."

The council has earmarked three possible sites for the new school, children's centre, surgery and other related facilities.

These are at the old St James and St Agnes Nursery School, old Andalusia school facing on to Dove Lane, and the Welsman site between the Inkerman pub and St Paul's Park.

The new school would have 420 places and would replace Cabot Primary in Halston Drive, which has been one of Bristol's worst-performing schools for some years and was rocked last year by allegations of a sex assault by children on a fellow pupil.

Mrs Campion-Smith said all options remained open for the Cabot project and officers and councillors were inviting all interested parties to have their say.

"The council needs to understand what is important to the community. This is also an opportunity for the council to explain its thinking on educational and social care issues."

Sauda Kylambuka urged St Paul's people to go along to the consultation sessions at St Paul's Learning and Family Centre from 3.30 to 4.30pm and 6 to 8pm.

She said: "The council can only listen to local people if they come forward."

Mary Parsons, Project Director at Places for People, said: "We remain fully committed to the regeneration of Dove Lane. Over the past year, a number of development options for this large site have been explored and shared with the local community. These have included new homes, jobs, shops, safe and attractive green open spaces as well as a range of new community facilities for local people.

"We are continuing to work in close partnership with Bristol City Council on plans for Cabot Primary School and a study into a number of options for the site is being undertaken.

"Comprehensive consultation with the local community will be undertaken later this year. This will focus on the wider regeneration of the area and will be carried out in partnership with Bristol City Council. It is important that local people have the opportunity to influence the emerging plans for Dove Lane so the best development scheme can be brought forward for this important site. It is our intention to submit a planning application later this year following these consultations."